I had the same problem (using Mackie 624s) and my solution was to "learn the monitors". I've learned that the bass needs to be really subtle in the mix in order to sound right in the car. I also switch to headphones will mixing and when I A/B monitors and 'phones, I listen for what sounds *worse* in one or the other, not what sounds better. I've definately learned that a little bass goes a long way in my setup.

I should also mention that I am a bass player, which means I want the bass to sound good. Not a problem: before I mix down, I work on the bass sound by itself, then with the drums. When I get the sound fat and happy, I start mixing everything else. It's much easier (for me) to get the sound right first, then the levels, than to try getting sound and levels right at the same time.

Chow,

> after I mix then bounce my songs they always comes out to bassey.

You mean they sound bassy outside your room? If so, that's a very common problem. Head on over to the Acoustics forum right here on RO and read the FAQ there.

--Ethan

Funny, the first thing that pops up in my mind when someone says "My mixes are too bass heavy", or "My mixes are too muddy" is are you using Event monitors? :confused:

I have a pair of 20/20bas, and they are really problematic in the bass end. They are kindof tubby and undefined in the lows, which prompts you to add a little extra EQ onto all lof frequency sources in order to carve some definition into your tracks. But, when you go play your mixes on another system, they're nothing but bass.

The other responses are valid too...you do need to 'learn' any monitor, and your room can have a big impact on the bass response...but, maybe try renting or borrowing another set of monitors to try out in your room, and see if it's largeley the Event's that are causing you grief.

Cheers,

Kris

In addition to the very valid points already mentioned, you should also consider the idea of "too much bass" from the another angle, like: what in the bass range is obscured or what is going on down there that is going wrong. If you are working from the original tracks before mixing them down don't be afraid to use eq to cut the low end on guitars, keys, even snare to leave what you want to hear. Also, if you have multiband compressorplug-instry them on individual tracks to get some things more under control. When tracking don't be afraid of the high pass filters on mics an preamps, they help keep the low end from being cluttered.

I played bass on a recording that I thought was going to be all acoustic guitar, vocals, fake drums, and I suggested they try adding a trumpet solo. I played a bass like that used the full range of a four string bass (a la Jack from Jefferson Airplane) filling up what I wasn't hearing. When I heard the final mix it was all layered distorted guitars and stuff. When they mixed and "mastered" it my bass line was tortured and litterally sounded like different instruments depending on where it was-- as it moved across the bands defined by the eq and multiband processors. I shouldn't have played the lines I played, if had stayed "at home" like a good bassist they'd have a more easily managed bass line to mix (but I had no idea where they were going and no one stopped me from going nuts on the bass ;) ) It isn't like that ruined the song or anything, just I know it would have been alot better if the end mix was in my imagination while I was thinking about what to play.

Another problem that I saw with mixing is on a friends disk where the bass sounded so great and just about everything else sounded horrible. The way I see it, the bass took up too much mid-range territory muddy-ing up the guitar tracks, and the low end of the guitars and everything else muddied up the low end of the mix.

I'm just saying make sure each instrument shines in the frequency range it is supposed to and don't let it crowd the ranges above or below.

If this post actually makes sense after I post it and read it later, I'll edit it into jibberish later-- because that is how it feels as I'm typing it.

Thanks allot guys for your responses.

I trying to learn how to work with my monitors ps5 to get the best mix possible.I know you should never mix using headphones, but what set headphones would you use that would give you an accurate reflection of your mix?

Thanks

Chow

They are around $100, but I find my Sennheiser HD280's to be very good. A little bright in the top end.

Thanks Mike ,

i'm going to look into those headphones

Chow

Chow, Many nearfields have the same problems translating bass accurately. Run a sine wave in your room and listen to it sweep the various frequencies. You may hear room nodes that make certain bass frequencies jump out at you at a higher volume. If so make note of them and at the very least remember them when you mix if you can't afford room treatments to solve the problem. Also I would crank up the bass at the back of your monitor. Check out the back, there should be an EQ setting. If you hear the bass louder then hopefully you'll give it less weight when you mix. When you think you're done stand in the corner of your mixing room and listen carefully to the bass. The corners will accentuate the bass quite a bit and it sounds like it may help you to more accurately gauge what it may sound like outside of your mix enviroment since you said it is consistently too heavy. Keep in mind that these are basicly hack solutions that really should be solved by addressing your room treatment and spending 2 grand or more on decent monitors.

This is the primary reason besides spatial issues, that I use subs on my nearfields.If it sounds good in my room the it usually translates well everywhere else.